Nursing
BCEN TCRNTrauma Certified Registered Nurse
The Trauma Certified Registered Nurse (TCRN) credential is issued by the Board of Certification for Emergency Nursing (BCEN) for nurses caring for trauma patients from injury through rehabilitation. The current exam reflects BCEN's most recent role delineation study and is scoped around body-region care and the trauma continuum (prehospital through reintegration), not general emergency nursing. It is the only nationally recognized trauma-specific RN credential in the US.
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Exam facts
Everything you need to know about the BCEN TCRN exam.
- Passing score
- 96 / 150 scored items correct (criterion-referenced, not curved)
- Format & length
- 175 questions (150 scored + 25 pretest) · 3 hours
- Voucher cost
- $285 USD (STN members) · $380 USD (non-members) · $195 USD (active/reserve/veteran military)
- Prerequisites
- Current unencumbered US/Canada/Australia RN license (2 years and ~2,000 trauma hours strongly recommended but not required)
- Validity
- 4 years (recertify via 100 contact hours — ≥75 specialty-clinical, ≥50 from accredited sources — or by re-exam)
Exam facts sourced from the official BCEN (Board of Certification for Emergency Nursing) certification page. Last reviewed June 2026.
What’s tested
Key topics on the BCEN TCRN® exam.
The Cert Climb question bank is mapped to every domain on the official BCEN TCRN® exam blueprint, so what you study is what the test asks.
- Head & Neck Trauma
- Trunk & Pelvis Trauma
- Musculoskeletal & Wound Trauma
- Special Populations
- Continuum of Care
- Professional Practice
Who it’s for
Built for the people taking this exam.
ED, trauma ICU, and Level I-IV trauma center RNs who already manage trauma resuscitations and want a credential that reflects that scope. Distinct from BCEN's CEN (general ED) and CFRN (flight) — TCRN is specifically about trauma decision-making.
Why it matters in 2026
The career signal.
Pass rate hovers around 59%, so it functions as a real differentiator on a trauma-center resume rather than a participation badge. Many ACS-verified Level I and II centers tie clinical-ladder advancement, charge-nurse eligibility, and trauma-program staffing ratios to TCRN counts, and the credential is referenced in the Society of Trauma Nurses standards for advanced trauma nursing practice.
Sample question
What a BCEN TCRN question looks like.
A 22-year-old male arrives at the emergency department following a head-on motor vehicle collision while restrained only by a lap belt. The vehicle did not overturn, and he was able to exit the car independently. Which vertebra is most likely to have sustained injury?
See the answer & explanation
Correct: A. L1
Why: Flexion-distraction injuries (Chance fractures) are commonly referred to as seatbelt fractures. They occur when a lap belt restrains the lower spine and pelvis while the upper body flexes forward during impact. The upper lumbar and lower thoracic region is most frequently involved. Among the listed options, L1 falls within this vulnerable zone.
What you get
Everything you need to actually pass.
Full question bank
600 questions covering every objective on the official BCEN TCRN® exam blueprint, with detailed explanations on every option — right and wrong.
Quiz modes
Timed exam simulation, missed-only review, topic drills, and a daily question of the day. Practice the way you study best.
Flashcards
Spaced-repetition flashcards generated from each topic. Pull them up on a phone in the gap between meetings.
Progress tracking
See per-topic accuracy and answered counts. Find weak areas before they cost you on test day.
Per-category premium
Unlocking BCEN TCRN® unlocks every other Nursing exam in the Cert Climb catalog — pay once, stack credentials.
No-fluff explanations
Every wrong answer comes with a 2-3 sentence explanation of why it’s wrong, not just “the correct answer is X.” Pattern recognition is the whole game.
FAQ
Frequently asked questions about BCEN TCRN
What is the BCEN TCRN exam?
The Trauma Certified Registered Nurse (TCRN) credential is issued by the Board of Certification for Emergency Nursing (BCEN) for nurses caring for trauma patients from injury through rehabilitation. The current exam reflects BCEN's most recent role delineation study and is scoped around body-region care and the trauma continuum (prehospital through reintegration), not general emergency nursing.
How many questions are on the BCEN TCRN exam, and how long is it?
175 questions (150 scored + 25 pretest) · 3 hours
What is the passing score for the BCEN TCRN exam?
96 / 150 scored items correct (criterion-referenced, not curved)
How much does the BCEN TCRN exam cost?
$285 USD (STN members) · $380 USD (non-members) · $195 USD (active/reserve/veteran military)
Are there prerequisites for the BCEN TCRN exam?
Current unencumbered US/Canada/Australia RN license (2 years and ~2,000 trauma hours strongly recommended but not required)
How long is the BCEN TCRN certification valid?
4 years (recertify via 100 contact hours — ≥75 specialty-clinical, ≥50 from accredited sources — or by re-exam)
How many questions does the BCEN TCRN bank have?
600 questions, organized into 6 subject areas mapped to the official exam objectives.
Is the free trial really free?
Yes. 30 questions, no credit card, no email-trap, no “activate by Friday or pay” spam. You either upgrade because the bank’s good, or you don’t.
What does premium cost?
Premium is sold per category and unlocks every Nursing exam in the Cert Climb catalog. Plans are 1-month, 3-month, or 12-month — see the upgrade modal for current pricing.
How current is the BCEN TCRN® content?
We track exam version updates and refresh the bank within weeks of new objectives. Where the version of an exam matters (e.g. CompTIA SY0-701 vs. SY0-601), question explanations call it out.
Can I cancel my subscription anytime?
Yes. Cancellation is one click from your profile. Your access continues through the end of the period you’ve already paid for.
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